


Tuhy

by NebraskaWildfire



Series: Red [11]
Category: Alias Smith and Jones
Genre: F/M, Post Amnesty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-08 08:22:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21472960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebraskaWildfire/pseuds/NebraskaWildfire
Summary: Even after amnesty things do not always go well.
Series: Red [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1500626
Comments: 7
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

Red sighed. She felt as large as a buffalo.

She was sitting on the back porch at the Warren ranch, enjoying the shade and cool breeze. She attempted to shift slightly and it took more effort than she ever thought possible eight months ago. She sighed again and looked out over the valley.

She could not see their new home site from this location. She wondered briefly if that was one of the reasons Bessie suggested the spot on which she and Hannibal were building their home. She smiled softly, remembering the beautiful view that would be from their own back porch, once the house was completed. It occurred to her again that Bessie might be much wiser than she was given credit.

Having agreed to let her newly married husband’s cousin and wife build a house within sight of her own home, Bessie might have decided there would be times where one if not all of them would need their own solitude.

Her gaze went back to the hills behind this existing home. The view was fantastic, dramatic, but still calming and peaceful. Red would have loved to meet Bessie’s Aunt Lily, who built this house. She hoped the home being built for them would be as comfortable and welcoming. It would not be quite as big, initially, but it would have the comforts available here in the Warren house. Indoor plumbing was not common on the Wyoming frontier, but she was so glad her home would have it too.

She wondered how long this place would still be known at the Warren ranch, with Bessie now technically not a Warren any more. Her aunt never married and had lived here long enough that it might always be known as the Warren place. And in spite of marrying the well-known former outlaw, Jedediah “Kid” Curry, Bessie would always be her own person and always be a Warren. In spite of her ditzy personality and flittery blonde appearance, Lily Elizabeth Warren Curry was a force with which to be reckoned. She managed to marry Jed Curry, while still maintaining her close relationship with her father, Francis Warren, currently the U.S. Senator from the new state of Wyoming. He was also the former governor of that great state and started both her husband and Bessie’s on the long road to amnesty. He had not been the governor in the end who granted them that desired favor, but Red had to admit he must have encouraged Governor Barber to finally make good on their deal, perhaps because he knew in the end there was little he could do to encourage his headstrong daughter to change the choice she made for a husband.

Red smiled wryly. Now that both of Wyoming’s formerly notorious, but popular and famous outlaws would be living on the ranch, as least part of the time, she wondered what the local townsfolk would actually start calling it.

She turned as the door from the house opened, and Bessie bounded out. Red did not think she ever had that much energy, even eight months ago, even when she was running the Johansen gang. She started to get up, but Bessie gently put a hand on her shoulder and handed her a telegraph.

“This just came from town. Bart, the telegrapher, thought it might be important,” Bessie stopped moving long enough to look concerned.

As Red perused the message, concern covered her face too. “Aunt Violet is ill!”

“Oh, no,” Bessie exclaimed.

A sigh escaped from Red’s lips, but she looked up at Bessie and started to try and get out of the chaise lounge. “Marion Vogel suggested that I return to Cincinnati immediately.”

With Bessie’s help, Red did finally stand up.

“Are you certain you can travel now?” Bessie’s concern was genuine.

“I should have at least another month,” Red’s face was now covered by a determined look.

“Hannibal will not be happy,” Bessie said quietly, for once.

Red just laughed wryly. “No, I imagine not.”

“You’re going where?” Heyes said more loudly than needed. “Now?” He looked down at her, sitting on the settee in the great room of the Warren home. She protectively ran her hand over the ever-growing child within her.

“Marion says Violet is very ill,” Red looked up at Heyes. “You know as well as I do that I have to go.”

Heyes started to pace, looking back at her at almost every turn. “You almost didn’t survive the trip out here, before the wedding.” He then looked back at his cousin, and best friend, hoping for backup. The Kid simply held up his hands and shook his head. He probably agreed with Heyes, but wanted no part of their disagreement. He looked towards Bessie, imploringly, but after a sympathetic look, she kept her eyes on the floor.

“I was in the throes of morning sickness then,” Red did not have a problem meeting her husband’s eyes. 

“Now, you just can’t move.” He stopped before her and glared down. Many a man before could not handle that stare.

“I’ll be on the train. I will just have to get up and down the stairs.”

“And to a hotel, at least once.” Heyes continued. “You can’t ride all that way without a rest.”

Red paused. “I can get a private cabin.”

Heyes started pacing again. “We can’t leave now, when we are making so much progress with the house.” He was struggling to come up with additional reasons.

“I didn’t ask you to go,” Red said quietly.

“What?” Heyes stopped before her, glaring down and looking like he wanted to scoop her up to keep her from leaving. “Red, you can’t go by yourself. Think on that for a minute.”

“But if Aunt Violet dies before I can see her, I’d never forgive myself.” Red paused before she continued, but then looked up with a determined gaze. “If we didn’t live so far away, it really wouldn’t be an issue.”

“Oh, no, don’t you pull that with me, woman.” Heyes started pacing again, and everyone in the room, including him, knew he had taken the bait she had dangled, hook, line, and sinker, but she knew him so well he couldn’t stop himself. “You wanted to move out here too. You said you were tired of Cincinnati.”

“Yes, I was.” She caught at him as he strode by, and he had to stop to avoid pulling her to her feet. “But I still need to go visit Violet. You know that as well as I do. Without the support she’s given us, I know things would not have gone so well.”

He finally started to calm, not because he wanted to, but because he knew he needed to, for her sake. He knelt before her, looking first down, as he tried to come up with a rational argument. He then looked in desperation at the Kid, who met his gaze for a moment, but then surprisingly looked away at his wife.

“I can go with her,” Bessie spoke up, and looked over towards her husband. A silent conversation occurred and the Kid did not look happy, but he said nothing.

“Marion actually suggested it in her telegram. She suggested that just I come, and bring Bessie along as a companion.”

“Why would she have done that?” Heyes asked. 

“Probably knew they could get away easier than we could, Heyes,” the Kid replied.

“It’s still not safe for you out there,” Heyes continued, sitting down beside her, not letting go of her hands. He gazed off and then back at her.

“Is it for you?” Her soft voice brought his attention back to her. “I doubt very much if anyone is going to suggest that I’m anyone other than the very pregnant wife of Hannibal Heyes.”

“If you think that’s going to convince me to let you go...” He trailed off.

“Maybe it is not your decision to make.” Her voice was not very loud, but everyone in the room went still for a moment after she uttered her statement.

Heyes looked like he either wanted to tie her to her chair, or flee the room in anger. In the end, after staring at his wife for a long, tension-filled moment, he finally sighed. “You will be careful, won’t you?”

“Always.” She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Later that evening, found the Currys in their large, comfortable bedroom. The Kid was already lying in bed, watching as his wife sat at her dressing table, brushing and braiding her thick blonde hair.

“You know it’ll just get messed up.”

She turned to look at him with a loving smile. “If it doesn’t start this way, I’ll never get it brushed in the morning.”

“Guess you’d just have to stay in bed with your husband then, so no one would see.”

She tied a pink ribbon on the end and sighed. “You know I have to go with her.”

He locked eyes with her, pleading, but then just nodded. “You’ll be careful?”

She walked to the bed, as Jed lifted the counterpane for her to snuggle in with him. They were still and silent for a while. She nodded. “The only way I’d be safer than traveling with Red Johnson, was if I was traveling with Kid Curry.” She smiled up at him and he kissed her. Before things could progress further, he pulled away, and Bessie moaned softly. 

“You’ll take my present with you?” he asked.

“Do you think that’s really necessary?” she asked, impatient.

“Yes, Bessie,” he answered emphatically, and took a finger to tilt her chin up. “It would make me feel better about letting you go off on your own.”

“I’m a grown woman, Jedediah,” she answered. She scooted closer to him and he squirmed, as it was his turn to groan.

“I’m well aware of that, wife of mine.” He looked down at her, serious. “It’s not you that I’m totally worried about. Never know what will happen with Red out from underneath Heyes’ watchful eyes.”

“I’ve never known Alexandra to do anything rash.” Bessie started to kiss him along the line from his ear to his collarbone. 

The Kid stopped her and made her look up at him. “I have.”

“Then I will watch out for her and me, and the little ones.” Bessie waited.

The Kid finally nodded and turned out the bedside light.

The boys found time to see the girls off at the train platform, but Heyes was still not happy.

“You have your gun with you, right?” he asked Red for the second time, since they arrived there.

“You expect coyotes in the dining car?” she asked, a smile upon her already tired face.

“I think coyotes are the least of your problems,” he returned her teasing look with a serious one of his own. He took a deep breath and took a hold of her hands. “If it weren’t Violet being ill, I wouldn’t let you go, you know that, don’t you?”

“You really think you could stop me?” A bit of her old fire reappeared in her face.

“Yes.” And the determination that made him the most successful outlaw leader in the West showed in his, but then his face softened. “You will be careful, more than usual?”

She nodded, but started moving towards the train, even if slowly, as the departure whistle started to sound.

He gave her one last quick hug and then helped her board. Bessie also hurried onto the train, after leaving the Kid with a not quite so chaste farewell.

“Heyes, she did survive on her own, until we met up with her.”

“She wasn’t eight months pregnant, the last time she had to dodge any bounty hunters.” He exchanged an exasperated look with his partner. “I truly wish I’d’ve been able to convince her to check into an amnesty.”

“Billy’s not really ready to chance that either.” The Kid paused. “They might be right.”

“No, they aren’t.” Heyes’ face returned to a grim set.

“It’s been over two years since they stopped robbin’ anyone and no one’s come around looking for either of them. How long you gonna worry?”

“Always.” His eyes glittered with suppressed rage. “Until they get an amnesty too.”


	2. Chapter 2

After a day on the train, Red was almost willing to agree with Hannibal, that she had no business traveling so far as she entered her ninth month. Only the thought of Aunt Violet deathly ill, kept her from taking the next train back to Centennial, when they stopped to transfer. The local they had taken from home did not have private cabins, but she was hoping the express from Cheyenne to Omaha would.

She tried to stretch in her seat, as they came to a stop in another small town. Bessie was very good to her, rubbing her lower back as privately as possible in the busy carriage, even though it seemed that the younger woman’s breakfast had not agreed with her. Bessie still looked a bit pale, but not as green as she had earlier.

“Should you have come on this trip?” Red asked, a suspicion coming into her eyes.

“I’m fine,” Bessie replied brightly, patting Red’s hand, but then turning away to watch the passengers disembark. 

Suddenly Red felt the cold steel of a six gun at the back of her neck.

In the confusion of passengers unloading, a man slipped behind them, and unobtrusively held a gun on her. It was hidden from the few others still remaining, by clever placement of a newspaper and his overcoat. Very quietly he said, “You don’t do what I say and you’re dead.”

Bessie started to react and he continued. “Your friend too.” Red could hear a cold smile in his voice. “I ain’t got no compunction against shooting a pregnant lady. Even if you weren’t who you are, Heyes’ whelp ain’t any of my concern.”

Red grew cold herself and exchanged a look with Bessie, who looked about ready to faint, but took a deep breath to calm herself.

“What do you want us to do?” Bessie asked.

“Shut your trap,” the man continued in a quiet voice. His eyes flicked away from them for a second, as the train car emptied, but then his eyes bore into them almost immediately. “Start moving towards the door. Don’t try anything or you’ll be shot, both or either of you. Don’t matter to me which outlaw whore I shoot. Just need one of you.”

Bessie slowly got up and turned to help Red stand.

“No, just go on out into the aisle,” he ordered.

“But she isn’t able,” Bessie started and suddenly the gun pointed at her.

“You don’t shut up, Mrs. Curry,” he said with a sneer. “It’s gonna be only Heyes who has any hope of gettin’ his wife back. Now move before the car fills again.”

Red laboriously struggled, the gun switching back to her, but she did get upright.

“Hand me your gun, Johnson,” his eyes bored into hers.

Red thought of protesting that she was unarmed, but his smile became even colder as his gun switched back to Bessie. 

“No, Alexandra, don’t,” Bessie tried again and the gun was shoved into her waist. 

“Gut shot is a horrible death.” He looked back at Red. “Now. Hand it over. Quickly.”

Red made a show of struggling to get the gun out of her suit pocket, but the man just pushed his gun further into Bessie, who let out a small squeak. Red handed over her gun and it disappeared into his coat pocket as he pushed them both towards the exit. He kept ahold of Red, shielding view of the gun behind the two women. 

His gun went into hiding as the train porter helped Bessie, and then Red, down onto the train platform. He dredged up a smile for the porter, saying, “Some women, you just can’t tell them they shouldn’t be traveling, no matter who you are.”

As the porter smiled back, Red suddenly remembered who their kidnapper was. The man’s face clicked. Red saw him once. It was in a poker game in a saloon, before she and Chas did much more than steal a few dollars for supper and a bed. Still, they hightailed it out of town, when they learned it was the bounty hunter, Phillip Kendrick.

“I have a wagon waiting yonder, ladies,” Kendrick continued, politely, nodding one last time to the conductor.

Red could feel the gun against her waist again. He was careful to point it between the whalebones in her corset. A thought came into her mind that the bullet would pass through a couple of her vital organs before it traveled into her and Hannibal’s child. She tried to clear her mind and come up with a plan. Maybe it would not be a Hannibal Heyes plan, but an Alexandra Heyes plan might have to do.

She went to put Bessie’s arm through her own, to help calm them both, but Kendrick shoved them apart. “No, stay separate. No knowing what you two sluts would cook up together.”

“Now, see here, my good man,” Bessie tried again.

Kendrick just laughed. “Sorry, but I ain’t the best of men, if you hadn’t noticed. Just keep quiet, like Johnson here, or I’ll gag you both.” 

It took both Bessie and Kendrick to get Red in the flatbed wagon, but neither woman thought it would be a good idea to try and escape at that point. Gut shot would be gut shot, at close range, since Bessie could not run fast in even in her slimmed down travel skirts and Red could not run at all.

“Can you drive a wagon?” Kendrick asked Bessie, wanting only one answer.

“Yes, of course.” Bessie moved herself quickly to take the reins before he could attempt to help her. His gun was still low and out of sight, but she knew he could have killed her if that had been part of his plan.

“Head down the street out of town, then I’ll let you know where we are going. Mind yourself or Johnson gets shot.” Kendrick settled in the back of the wagon, next to Red, where he had a clear shot of both women. The bed had been loaded with some common goods, like a bag of feed and one of flour, to make it look like a regular supply trip to town.

A couple folks looked strangely at a woman dressed as smartly as Bessie was, driving a wagon out of town. She just smiled at them, nodding towards what seemed like a man and his very pregnant wife in the back of the wagon, and she received wry smiles back. Bessie did not think anyone noticed that her hands were shaking, other than the horses. She took a deep breath and settled herself. Jedediah would tell her to bide her time and watch for an opportunity. As she realized Hannibal would too, as bit of a genuine smile briefly crossed her face.

Eventually the trail led up into the hills, and soon enough Kendrick ordered her to pull to the side of the road.

“Get back here and tie her up,” he nodded towards Alexandra. 

“Now wait a minute,” Bessie started, but was immediately cut off as he swung a rifle up and pointed it at her head, keeping the hand gun on Red.

Bessie kept her head high and maneuvered back towards them. She took a deep breath, but looked Kendrick directly in the eyes. “Be careful with those guns, sir. I wouldn’t want to explain to my husband how I accidentally was shot by poor firearm handling.” She knelt down by Alex, while Kendrick just laughed harshly.

“I think the Kid will have other things to worry about,” he paused, and then sarcastically continued. “Ma’am.” He tossed her some rawhide strips.

Bessie was about to complain again, when she met Red’s eyes. Bessie knew this was a life and death situation, but she was just so frustrated at their treatment.

“Heck, Johnson, I’ll give you credit, if you know how to shut this woman up.” He looked Bessie in the eye. “I’m surprised Curry hasn’t shot you yet, just to keep that mouth from yappin’.”

The girls’ gazes locked again. Red almost smiled, and Bessie almost laughed, until Kendrick’s rifle was in Bessie’s face.

“Tie her hands behind her back.”

Bessie glared at Kendrick and looked apologetically at Alexandra, but accomplished what was requested. 

“Now tie her feet.” Bessie sighed enough to get a groan from Kendrick, but she did what he wanted.

He put the rifle safely out of their reach, holstered his gun, and made quick work of tying up Bessie, after tossing her down by Red.

He glared down at them. “You gonna yack?”

Red succinctly shook her head. Bessie fumed a bit, but also shook her head.

Soon the wagon was under way.

Bessie put her head next to Red’s and barely whispered, “Why didn’t he blindfold us?”

Red looked on Bessie with pity. “You don’t want to know.”

Bessie’s eyes grew large.

They rode high up into the hills for the next couple hours. Trees surrounded the road. The temperature dropped and the girls huddled for warmth. Darkness fell and the wagon still continued up.

It was the day after the girls left, when Bart, the telegrapher from town, hurried out to the ranch with two rather important messages.

Heyes was discussing placement of windows with the builders working on their home, when Thomas Morris, foreman of the Warren ranch, came looking for him.

“Morris,” Heyes smiled, ready for a break. “What can I do for you?”

“Do you know where Mr. Curry is?” Morris asked, not breaking a smile.

“He was checking out the high pasture,” Heyes paused, sensing something wrong. “He was to be back soon.”

Morris just nodded. “Best give these to you then.” He paused. “Bart himself brought them out. Seemed to think it was important.”

“Is it about Aunt Violet?” Heyes asked, accepting the envelopes.

Morris just met his eyes. “I think you need to read them.”

Heyes opened the first telegraph and started reading. Confusion first covered his face, then a bit of fear as he opened the second one. Morris could see his body start to stiffen, and when he looked up, his eyes were fire. The foreman wondered if he was seeing the former outlaw leader for the first time.

“I gotta find the Kid.”

The Kid could tell Heyes was seething, as he handed his partner the first telegraph.

To H HEYES, CODYVILLE, WYOMING. NO TELEGRAPH SENT FROM THIS OFFICE ABOUT VIOLET STANTON. PLEASE REPLY SOONEST. MARION VOGEL.

Curry met Heyes’ eyes, with concern of his own, as he accepted the second to read.

TO HJ HEYES, JT CURRY, CODYVILLE, WYOMING. DISCUSSING OPTIONS WITH R JOHNSON AND FRIEND. MEET IN ROCK RIVER. NO GUESTS. P KENDRICK.

The look in the Kid’s eyes as he met his partner’s was pure, blue ice.

“Phillip Kendrick?” The Kid’s voice was clipped. “The bounty hunter?”

Heyes nodded. “Gotta be.”

“And he has Red and Bessie.”

Heyes nodded again. “I’ve packed. You ready?”

The Kid nodded. “Always.”

As they waited for the train from Cheyenne to arrive, the Kid paced and Heyes sat.

“How can you just sit there?” Curry stood in front of his partner.

Heyes glared up briefly, but then stared off at the mountains, his gaze unfocused. “Kid, don’t you know better than to interrupt me?”

“You got a plan?”

“Not yet.” This time he did glare steadily at the Kid, who finally settled on the bench next to him.

“So the earlier telegram, about Violet, was from Kendrick?” the Kid voice was clipped.

“Yeah, Kid. Had to be.”

“And Kendrick knows who Red really is.” It was a statement from Curry this time.

Heyes just nodded.

“And you have a plan coming together?”

The outlaw leader glared out of Heyes’ eyes again, but the Kid did not back down. Heyes looked away. 

“Yeah, and I think I like it.”

Heyes sent two telegraphs before they boarded the train. They were well on their way to Rock River, so the Kid figured it was be time to ask.

“Who did you send for?”

Heyes came out of his daze. “Wheat and Kyle. And Lom.”

“It said no guests.” The Kid’s voice was still.

“They ain’t guests.” Heyes’ smile was dark. “They’re the help.”


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Kendrick stopped the wagon, even Bessie lost some of the feeling in her hands and feet. Alexandra was in much worse shape. He untied Bessie’s legs, but not Red’s.

“Get on down,” Kendrick ordered.

“But.” Bessie stopped when he shoved a gun against Red’s distended midsection.

“Now.”

They were in a clearing, as well as Bessie could see in the dark. There was a cabin, and maybe a barn and outbuilding or two. A faint light came from the cabin window.

Bessie almost fell getting out of the wagon. Only sheer determination kept her hanging onto the wagon wheel. She turned, surprised, as she heard the door open, and a man came out. He held a lantern in front of him, so his face was in shadow.

“‘Bout time you got here, Kendrick,” the man said.

“You try hauling whores.” Kendrick pulled the still trussed up Red to the end of the wagon.

“No need to mistreat them,” the man started. Bessie thought she saw a glint of a silver star on the man’s vest.

Kendrick jumped down from the wagon, and stopped, turning towards the man.

“Hell, Tuhy, this here,” he motioned towards Alexandra. “This here is Red Johnson! Don’t think a few cuss words, or a bit of jostling will bother her much.” He laughed darkly as he gathered her in his arms and started carrying her to the cabin. “By the look o’ her, Heyes has given her a hell of a lot of jostling.”

“Now see here! There’s no need to talk to Alexandra like that.” Bessie started towards Kendrick. All of a sudden, Alex was on the ground and Kendrick’s six gun was in his hand pointed at Bessie. He held out his bandana to the lawman.

“Gag her, or I’m just gonna shoot her.”

“This is not what we planned,” Tuhy hurried over to where Alex was on the ground, a moan escaping her lips.

“When you get involved with outlaws, Marshal, lines blur. Remember, I’m just here for the money.” He grabbed Bessie and started marching her towards the cabin. “I’ll deal with this one and you bring in the fat one.”

“You alright, ma’am?” Bessie could hear the marshal as he helped Alex, while she and Kendrick entered the cabin. It was dark and rough inside, light and heat only coming from the fireplace.

“Sit there.” He pointed towards a chair. It was wooden and in need of some repair, but it was sturdy enough. Once seated, he roughly tied her to the chair, and did finally gag her. When the marshal made it into the cabin with Alex, she was tied similarly, but could not keep from letting out a groan.

“Keep quiet, or you’re getting gagged too, like your chatty friend.” Kendrick glared at Red, then smiled menacingly. “I already done told you, I don’t care what happens to Heyes’ bastard.”

“You keep treating her like this, and she’ll end up dead.” Tuhy huffed. “The folks paying for her want her alive.” He glared at Kendrick with an icy stare. “Keep that in mind.”

“Maybe I only need the twenty grand,” Kendrick replied.

“Well, I need her. Alive.” As the two men glared at each other, Red groaned again.

“I told you,” Kendrick started.

“I gotta pee.” Red’s voice came out of Alexandra for the first time. “And my legs are so numb, it ain’t good.”

Tuhy sighed, but bent, intending to untie her legs, but Kendrick stopped him.

“Are you crazy?” He looked at Tuhy, as if he expected that statement to be true. “This here is Red Johnson. She’ll do something to escape.”

“And how the hell she gonna do that with numb legs?” Marshall Tuhy looked like he was at the end of his patience.

“She’s lyin’.”

“How long you had her tied up?”

Kendrick just huffed, and pulled his six gun, pointing it at Alexandra, as Tuhy finally untied her legs.

“You gonna be able to stand?” he asked her, not unkindly.

“No,” she shook her head, trying her best to keep the tears of pain in her eyes, as feeling started to come back. “Not yet.” She looked over towards Bessie, who had tears of compassion trailing freely down her face.

Eventually Tuhy insisted that they let Bessie help Alexandra into the bedroom of the cabin to take care of nature’s call.

“She’s gonna escape!”

“The window’s boarded up, you fool.” Tuhy sighed. “We ain’t letting them in there long enough to get out that way.”

Kendrick again held his six gun on the women as Tuhy bent down to untie Bessie’s feet. When she then started towards Red, Kendrick pulled back the trigger.

“You’ll have to let Mrs. Curry help me,” Red looked into Tuhy’s eyes. There was some sympathy there, but not enough to allow them the freedom needed to escape. “I don’t think I can stand on my own, let alone do anything else.”

Tuhy nodded shortly, while Kendrick grumbled. 

Bessie, still gagged, held up her hands. Red gave her a dark look and Tuhy started to reply and shake his head. “She don’t need her bottom wiped.”

Bessie glared at all three of them, until Tuhy removed her gag and untied her from the chair. 

“I just need to make certain she does not fall over and hurt herself.” Even she was having problems standing after being tied so long. She held onto the back of the chair and waited.

Tuhy untied Bessie’s hands and then loosened Red from her chair, as Kendrick still held a gun on them all. Bessie helped her up and they slowly made it into the bedroom.

“Don’t you shut that door.”

Red finally laughed faintly, and glanced back at the man holding a six gun on them. “Heck, Kendrick, if that’s the only way you can get a thrill, have at it.”

Kendrick’s face contorted and Tuhy had to shove him back as he rushed towards the women.

“Sheesh, man, she’s just trying to provoke you,” Kendrick shook his head, and sighed, looking back at the women then.

“I’m sorry, Bessie,” Red had a contrite look on her face as she and Bessie disappeared into the bedroom. “I just couldn’t resist. Guess I must be more tired than I thought.”

“And I thought I couldn’t keep my mouth shut when I should,” Bessie shook her head as she helped Red sit on the bed, while she got the chamber pot.

Red’s eyes fluttered shut. “Sorry, Bessie. I am just so exhausted.” A smile crossed her face. “I’m glad you still have energy at this stage. I was ill for months.”

Bessie nodded as she helped Red complete her business. “You looked like death warmed over when you arrived in Centennial for the wedding.” She shook her head. “You must really love Hannibal to have gotten on the train to come out here, so he could be at Jedediah’s and my wedding.”

Red shrugged slightly. “He had to be there.” She smiled. “And I survived.”

“Speaking of survival,” Bessie said quietly. She glanced back towards the door. “Are we going to take advantage of this opportunity and try to escape?”

Red paused, but then shook her head. “No, we have to wait until the boys arrive, to make certain they don’t get captured.” 

“Do you have a plan?” Bessie asked hopefully.

“I’m working on it.” 

Bessie helped Red back to the bed, and then took advantage of her relative freedom, to also answer nature’s call.

“I wish he hadn’t taken my gun.” Red rested her eyes again, as she thought.

“If a gun is what you need to make your plan work,” Bessie began as she finished and rearranged things.

“You women better be done, or I’ll be coming in to check on you,” the marshal started.

“Hell, Tuhy, just do it.” Kendrick walked up and lounged in the doorway, smiling wickedly at them.

Bessie looked at Alexandra, who had a dry smile on her face, but simply allowed herself to be helped back into the main room.

Kendrick’s gun followed them back, however, Tuhy himself tied them up again, as well as gagged them.

The men took turns keeping watch through the night. As soon as Kendrick was asleep, Tuhy pulled out some hardtack and jerky. Bessie’s stomach growled earlier in the evening and Kendrick just laughed.

“If I take out the gags, you all gonna be quiet and eat?” Bessie nodded quickly, and Red eventually.

After removing the bandanas, Tuhy handed a piece of hard tack to Bessie’s still tied hands.

“Seriously?” she asked, but very quietly.

Tuhy gave her a glare. Bessie subsided, but fumed until he drug her chair closer to Red’s. “Feed her.”

Bessie opened her mouth to protest, but Red just shook her head. “Just do as he said, Bessie, please.” Her voice showed her exhaustion.

Red could only manage a few bites. Bessie found herself embarrassed, but she was ravenous. 

“You are, aren’t you?” 

Bessie could barely hear Alexandra’s voice. She nodded once as she continued to gnaw on the jerky. 

Alexandra sighed and closed her eyes.

“What are they going to do with us?”

Red opened her eyes briefly to gaze as Bessie. She closed them as she answered. “I figured they’d just kill us both at some point.” She glared at her friend to keep her from gasping. “Now, I’m not so certain. Seems Tuhy wants me alive, to take somewhere. At least for now.”

Bessie noticed Red had not mentioned her. “And me?”

A single shake of the head came from Red. “I seriously don’t know.” She looked back at the woman who was for all intents and purposes her sister-in-law. “I’m sorry.”

Bessie took a deep breath, settled, and then chewed on some more hardtack. “The Kid will execute them all, if we’re dead.”

Red nodded slowly. “As will Hannibal.”

“Hannibal has never come across to me as that blood thirsty,” Bessie pondered. “Oh, he’d back up Jedediah, but he thinks before he acts.”

“You’ve only seen Joshua Smith.” Red’s eyes came open briefly to watch the marshal. He was finishing up his own unsatisfying dinner with a couple cups of coffee, lost in his own thoughts.

“What do you mean?” Bessie asked, genuinely curious.

Red looked back at Bessie, letting her outlaw persona come out with a wicked smile. “Ever run from a posse, with the boys?”

“No, of course not.” Bessie dusted the crumbs off her skirt.

“I have. Hannibal thinks on his feet pretty well.”

“Of course, he does. Or they would have been dead long ago.” Bessie paused and looked into the fire. “Jedediah is pure instinct at times. You can see it.” She looked towards Red, who nodded. “Sometimes that is good. Sometimes it is not.”

“Sometimes, Bessie, I wonder how you would have fared as an outlaw.” Red smiled, but it was not a soft smile.

“Oh, horribly, I imagine.” Bessie glanced over towards Tuhy and then the sleeping Kendrick. “The first time someone was shot, I’d probably faint.”

“I doubt that very much, Elizabeth Warren Curry.” 

It was in the middle of the night, during Kendrick’s watch, that things started to go wrong.

“How many of them boys did you sleep with, to get them to follow you? To join your gang?” Kendrick was simply taunting the women, as the gags had been put back in place. Still Bessie’s eyes shot sparks back at him.

“And you, missy,” he turned to Bessie, with his eyes flashing. “You get your daddy to give them no-accounts amnesty?” He looked her up and down. Even trussed us as she was, she tried to sit tall and keep her dignity. “Don’t look like he knocked you up, so didn’t have to marry you ‘cause o’ that. He that good in bed? Can’t imagine a little, prissy thing like you is. He bed you just to get the amnesty?”

Bessie looked about ready to spring from the chair to which she had been tied, until she looked over at Alexandra. Red’s eyes were flint. Bessie straightened herself as much as possible and gave Kendrick a glare that would have melted a better man.

“Just a couple o’ whores, ain’t you?” Kendrick laughed. “Just like all women.” 

He stood before Red and reached out his hand to rub her cheek. It took all her nerve not to shrink away. His hand dipped lower onto her plump breasts. Bessie tried to scream through her gag, to get Tuhy’s attention, but Red’s eyes just turned to steel.

“Can kind of see what all them other boys wanted outta you,” Kendrick leered. “Tuhy said you had to be alive when he delivered you to them rich bastards in Cheyenne. Won’t hurt if you’re a little bit more worn.” He bent down to put sloppy kisses on her neck.

With a force of will that Bessie did not know she had, she knocked her chair into Kendrick, and overbalanced him and her. Red took the opportunity to scoot her chair away from Kendrick. The resulting crashes and screeches of wood against wood finally woke Tuhy.

“Hell, Kendrick, get back over here.” Tuhy hauled the other man across the room, and slammed him into a chair before the fire. “Your stupidity might have enabled them to get free.” He went back to set the women upright, checking their bonds as he did so and shook his head as he retightened the loosened rawhide strips around Red’s hands. “Should have been checking that they weren’t about to escape, not giving into your base instincts.”


	4. Chapter 4

When Heyes and Curry arrived in Rock River they were met by no one. A worried look slid across Heyes’ face, but he took a breath, and plans started to be revised.

“So what now, Heyes?” The Kid had already looked around and taken stock of the town. “Go to the saloon?”

“Yeah, I think so, Kid.” Heyes looked around once more too. “See if someone saw them come through town.”

After a couple of beers and some friendly conversation, Heyes did indeed find out that Kendrick had been there. 

“Oh, yeah, I remember that man and his wife and sister,” the bartender, Ed, nodded as he wiped down a glass. He was tall, but portly, balding and talkative, as suited someone in his line of work. “He was in here quite often while he was waiting for them to come back from visiting their relatives.”

“Oh,” Heyes was nonchalant as he took a drink of beer and exchanged glances with Curry. “He was here for a while, waiting?”

“Yeah, and boy did he ever complain.” Ed shook his head. “Wouldn’t have wanted to be those ladies, no sir. He didn’t seem to have a lot of patience with womenfolk.” He smiled wryly. “Must not have been married as long as I have been.”

Heyes laughed with him. “Yeah, the ladies do wear you down after a while, don’t they?” He smiled at the Kid, but his eyes were sharp. “My wife, she’s a cousin of this Mrs. Kendrick, which is why we’re asking. I thought we might stop by and visit with them, before we go on to Cheyenne.”

Ed paused in his glass cleaning. “Might think on that some more, boys. This Kendrick, he wasn’t the sort that seemed inclined to relatives dropping in on him.” His face changed then, and he smiled again. “Now the other man he met here, who rented the old Harrison place, he was right friendly like. Not a talker, but then most lawmen keep their thoughts to themselves. He seemed a bit more upstanding. The way he talked about his wife, I was wondering why he wasn’t with her. You could tell he was missing her.”

“Lawman?” the Kid asked with a cautious tone in his voice.

The bartender gave them a wary look, as if reappraising them. Their appearance these days, even in western garb, spoke more of comfortable living, than the edge of desperation. “Yeah, Marshal Tuhy, he was.”

“Oh, yes, Tuhy,” Heyes nodded confidently. “Sorry, but we also have a sheriff over to Porterville in the family, so we weren’t sure.” He smiled widely at Ed and pushed his glass towards him for another refill.

“So where’d you say this Harrison place is?” the Kid asked and finished off his beer.

“Just take the road north out of town and up into the hills a ways past the turnoff towards Bent Junction. There’s a trail off into the trees that leads to a pretty little clearing. Shouldn’t miss it.”

“Well, thank you kindly, Ed. Might stop on by after all, when we get to leaving town.” Heyes picked up his beer and nodded towards a table where a poker game was starting. “We’re waiting on some other friends, though, so might just pass the time with a hand or two.”

Ed laughed. “Gotta warn you about Slick McSween over there then. He considers himself a poker player extraordinaire, but, well, just watch when he deals.” Ed winked.

“We’ll do that.” Heyes smiled as he and the Kid turned to head towards the table.

The Kid laid down his cards, with a smirk and sly glance at Heyes.

“Well, young man, that’s got to be nothing but luck,” the town doctor laughed and patted Curry on the shoulder. “I never seem to be able to draw to an inside straight.”

“Don’t look like luck to me,” McSween grumbled. He had not been doing well in the game since the two strangers joined them. He looked around for support in his assertion, but found little. Joshua and Thaddeus both bought rounds of drinks from their winnings, so the other players were more than happy with the way the evening progressed.

Their attention was diverted to a couple of new patrons walking in the door. Whereas Joshua and Thaddeus looked like luck was indeed favoring them recently, the two strangers walking in the doors looked like life had been rough with them. It was noted by all, however, that they also wore well used gun belts with the same confidence and nonchalance as Joshua and Thaddeus.

“Well, lookee there,” the smaller blonde man started, but his taller companion took a tight hold of his shoulder and steered him towards the bar.

“Beers. Two.” Wheat Carlson asked of Ed and then turned to meet the gaze of Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry.

“Please,” Kyle Mutry continued, politely aiming his chaw into the handily placed spittoon.

“Sorry we can’t give you another chance to win your money back, but it looks like our friends have arrived,” Curry said as he stood and stretched. 

Heyes smiled. “It’s been a pleasure.”

“I’m sure,” McSween muttered and looked over to the bar at Wheat and Kyle. “Some interesting friends you got.”

“We have some business to transact and these men are some of the best.” Heyes stated.

Curry paused and looked back at his friend, but then just continued on towards the bar.

“About time you got here.” Heyes leaned on the bar next to Kyle, signaling Ed.

“Ain’t like we’ve been sittin’ around waitin’ for your beck and call,” Wheat groused, but held out his beer mug for Ed to refill as he approached.

“You had something better to be doin’?” The Kid asked after a drink of beer. He looked at Wheat until the bigger man started to squirm.

“Well, we had something in the planning stages, didn’t we, Kyle?” He looked to his partner, who paused, but then nodded. “It just weren’t quite ready.”

“Then you should have plenty of time to help out.” The Kid’s glare was strong.

“You’all said it was a matter of life and death,” Kyle chimed in.

“You two seem pretty calm, if it was that urgent.” Wheat glared back.

“Why don’t we go sit at the table back over in the corner, so we can discuss this in private.” Heyes had a determined look on his face that all three boys recognized. Wheat looked at Kyle and shrugged as the Kid started moving, following Heyes.

He looked at each of them as they sat down, and they all quieted and gave him their attention, falling into old patterns.

“Phillip Kendrick has Bessie and Red.”

Kyle’s mouth dropped open, but Wheat looked from Heyes to the Kid and back.

“He knows she’s Red?” Wheat verified.

“Uh huh,” Heyes answered, and with the look on his face, Wheat knew he was glad he was working with Heyes this time. 

“Well, what we doing sittin’ here then?” Wheat replied. “You know where they are?”

“We think so,” the Kid replied.

“We’re waitin’ on Lom.”

Kyle squirmed and looked towards Wheat.

“You’all remember you two are the only ones who got them amnesties, don’tcha?” He looked from Heyes to the Kid and back again. 

Kyle’s voice lowered. “We’s still wanted, Heyes. Probably not the best if we meet up with Lom.”

Heyes shook his head. “Lom agreed to come, because he’s wanted to catch Kendrick in a situation like this. Even the law knows his methods don’t always stay on their side. With such an iffy situation, Lom agreed you boys might be the best to have involved.”

“And not arrest us, right?” Wheat asked, looking from Heyes to Curry and back. “Just wanting to make certain.”

“After he learned that Kendrick had the girls, he agreed.” The Kid’s voice was still.

Wheat sat for a moment and had a sip of beer. He looked at Heyes and considered. “Lom know who she is? Really is?”

Heyes did not break his gaze, but just shook his head.

“Ah, hell, Heyes,” Wheat groused. “Lom’s gonna be pissed.”

“Yeah, but I thought I could handle the situation,” Heyes paused. “Until we found out that Tuhy is involved.”

“Marshall Tuhy?” Kyle asked.

Heyes nodded.

“Edward Tuhy? Whose wife was killed by Dick Norman?” Wheat asked, his body becoming still.

Heyes did not answer, but the Kid did. “Yes.”

Kyle whistled softly. Wheat just shook his head.

“This is some mess you all are in, Heyes.”

“That’s why we asked you to come,” the Kid replied.

“About time you all admitted you still need our help.” Wheat smiled wickedly.

Heyes just stared out into the street, but finally turned back and met Wheat’s gaze. “You know that would have really set me off, if I wasn’t worried about Red already being dead.” 

A change came over Wheat Carlson’s face. He noisily cleared his throat. “Well, then. When’s Lom gettin’ here?”

Sheriff Trevors arrived on the train, just as the boys were wandering off in search of supper. He shook hands with Curry and Heyes. “Boys, it’s good to see you. Just wish it was under better circumstances.” He then looked Wheat, who pulled himself up to his full height, and met Lom’s cool gaze. Kyle followed suit.

“You ready for me to ask for an amnesty for you too?” Lom looked them up and down, noting their more worn than usual look.

“Now, Lom, what would we do if we got that amnesty?” Wheat looked over to Kyle and then met Trevor’s gaze again.

“Become contributing members of society,” Lom answered.

“Like Curry and Heyes here?” Wheat scoffed. “Guess I need to find me a rich wife then.”

Even Kyle had a strange look on his face at Wheat’s comment.

“Sorry, boys,” Wheat apologized. “Didn’t mean nothing by that.”

Heyes was still fuming, but he just continued. “Well, it’s more than time to explain the plan, but let’s get us some supper first. Anyone hungry?”

“Always,” the Kid admitted. He shrugged as Heyes glared at him.

“That’s your plan, Heyes?” Wheat looked at his former gang leader like he was crazy. “Hell, you’ve come up with some stupid plans in the past, but this one beats the rest.” He locked eyes with Heyes. “Thought you would’ve tried something more cautious, what with the women being involved.”

“It shouldn’t put them in any more danger than they already are,” Heyes insisted, seemingly trying to convince himself as well as the other men.

“And you, Heyes?” Lom asked quietly while the Kid would not meet anyone’s eyes.

“My safety isn’t the primary concern here.” Heyes captured the Kid’s gaze finally and a thousand words passed in an instant.

“We leave before dawn, so let’s go get some sleep.”


	5. Chapter 5

The girls were slumped in their chairs the next morning, when they all heard horses approach. Bessie looked over at Alex, hope gleaming in her eyes. She had been working all night to again loosen the bindings around her hands, but had not quite accomplished this.

“It’s them,” Tuhy stated.

“How you so sure?” Kendrick asked. “Didn’t figure they’d be here until tomorrow.”

“Ever been married, Kendrick?” Tuhy asked with a still voice.

“Nah, never seen the need.” He spat into the corner. “Waste of money.”

“You in there!” It was Hannibal Heyes’ voice.

Heyes sent the Kid one way and Wheat and Kyle the other to see the lay of the land and check for any lookouts.

“Heyes, I think it’s just Kendrick and Tuhy,” the Kid said as he returned to the rock outcropping where his partner kept watch.

“Kid, don’t I tell you I do the thinkin’?” Heyes smiled tightly and turned as the boys arrived back.

“Kid might be right,” Kyle chimed in. “I didna see any lookouts and saw only them and the girls as I looked into the cabin.”

“You got that close to the cabin?” The Kid did not look happy.

“They didn’t see me none, Kid,” Kyle said confidently. “Twas a window out back.” He looked a bit offended. “I always was one of the best scouts, wasn’t I, Heyes?” He looked toward his former leader.

Heyes nodded but then grimaced. “We gotta be cautious. Might be a trap. He couldn’t be certain that it would be just me and the Kid.” He laughed dryly. “I wouldn’t’ve. Kendrick ain’t stupid, or he would have been killed by some other outlaw long before now.”

Heyes’ mind was visibly spinning. “Kid, you go back to the left, stop at that rock outcropping.” He pointed. “You should be able to see him come out of the door or point a gun out of the window, right?” He looked to his partner for confirmation.

Curry took another look and nodded.

“Wheat, you go to the right, and Kyle, ease back around so you can come in the rear of the house if needed.” He pointed to a stand of trees on the ridge behind the house, and looked at the Kid. “That look good?”

The Kid just nodded again.

“Lom,” Heyes looked towards his friend. “I think it would be best if you just stay here under cover, until we know what’s all goin’ on.”

Lom looked like he wanted to argue, but then simply nodded.

“I’ll give you about five minutes to get in place, then I’ll approach from the front.”

Wheat and Kyle started through the trees, but Curry hesitated.

“There ain’t much coverage out front, Heyes.” The Kid looked sideways at his partner.

“Don’t need it.” Heyes looked down and didn’t meet his partner’s gaze.

“Heyes, he’s a pretty good shot, or so I hear.”

“I’m gonna try to get him off balance. Might have a better chance.”

“Might have a better chance if you stay behind a rock.” The Kid scowled.

Heyes looked up at Curry and just smiled. It was almost feral and as it reached his eyes, it made them glitter. “Gotta put a stop to this somehow.”

“I’d prefer if I didn’t have to do it over your dead body, Heyes.” The Kid did not look happy.

“Me too.” Lom chimed in, and the boys almost started, reminded that they weren’t alone.

Heyes just nodded towards the cabin. “Go get in place and make certain I don’t die then.”

The Kid glared at Heyes once more and muttered as he slunk off, “As if I don’t always have to do that…”

Lom paused a moment and looked at Heyes, until he looked back.

“Just jokin’, Lom.” Heyes face was grim.

“I don’t think the Kid believed that and I don’t either.” He looked towards the cabin. “What about Tuhy?”

“He may hate outlaws, Lom, but I never heard that he’s killed any in cold blood.” He looked at his old friend. “Have you?”

Lom shook his head, but sighed. “And I thought you boys made my life interesting when you were outlaws.” He met Heyes’ gaze once more and then headed back further into the trees.

Heyes pulled out his watch and waited. After the agreed to five minutes, he made his way down the rock fall towards the cabin. He did stop before entering the open space in front of the building.

“Kendrick!” he yelled. “You in there?” He paused and listened. “We’re waitin’ out here.”

“And just who might you be, yellin’ like that, askin’ to be shot?” came a deep voice from the cabin.

“Heck, Kendrick, I figured you were smarter than that.”

There was silence for a minute. “I’m assuming you’ve got Curry with you, so I ain’t about to walk out there. Where do we go from here, Heyes?”

“Take that gun outta the window and I’ll walk out when you do,” Heyes replied, knowing the Kid would not be happy, let alone Lom or the boys.

“What kinda plan you got up your sleeve, Heyes? That would be just plain stupid.”

“I wanna talk.” Heyes paused. “And if you kill me, Kid Curry ain’t about to let anyone get away from here alive.”

“Since I know that’s the truth, and you boys ain’t known for killin’ outright, let’s do this.”

The door to the cabin opened, but no one appeared.

“Come out from behind that rock, Heyes.”

“Only when you start out of the house.”

Inside the house, Kendrick was busy loading every gun he had. Bessie exchanged a worried glance with Red, but her sister-in-law returned a much harsher look.

“You know you can’t just go out there and kill them,” Tuhy tried to reason with Kendrick. “They ain’t wanted anymore.”

“Those same men who want Johnson, have promised to still give me that twenty grand, to deliver Curry and Heyes, and they didn’t seem too particular about whether they were dead or alive.”

“Kendrick, it would be murder.” Tuhy’s visage turned even harder. “What are you gonna do with the women then? They’d be witnesses.”

A harsh laugh came from Kendrick. “Hell, Tuhy, you such a true-blue lawman, that you’ve not figured out by now that we have to kill them both or go to jail for kidnapping, or worse?”

Tuhy looked towards the women and an emotion they could not catch crossed his face. Then it hardened once more and he looked back towards Kendrick. “So what now?”

“You go out there and talk to Heyes.” Kendrick nodded towards the front yard and waved Red’s fully loaded six gun in that direction. “Tell him he and Curry have to turn themselves in to us.”

Tuhy stared at Kendrick for a long while and then looked at the women. Bessie’s eyes pleaded, but Red’s were expressionless.

“I better not hear any gunshots in here, Kendrick, or I’ll come back in and shoot you myself.”

Kendrick just laughed as he lifted a rifle to the ready. “As if you could outshoot me, lawman.” He met Tuhy’s gaze until the other man started walking slowly out the door. He stopped on the porch, certain he had the attention of all in the house and outside.

Kendrick was certainly watching him, with the rifle at his shoulder.

“Too bad you ladies won’t be able to see this, but as soon as Hannibal Heyes walks out I should be able to get him, as well as this stupid lawman. That leaves only Curry to deal with. He laughed harshly. “And he’s stupid enough to come in here if I threaten to kill you too.”

Kendrick watched closely as Tuhy took a step off the porch. He did not notice that Red was actively stretching the straps around her hands. She almost groaned in frustration. They were almost loose enough, but not quite. She had been working on them all night, but every time she made progress, Tuhy or Kendrick checked them and tightened them again. This left very little give in the strips.

Bessie tried somewhat to stretch her binding, but with her hands tied in front of her, there was little she could do without it being seen. Still they were looser than they had been. A thought came into her head. She glanced at Red still struggling quietly, but feared she would be too late.

Bessie ever slowly but determinedly reached her still tied hands into the pocket in her very wrinkled, but perfectly tailored travel skirts. She thought Jedediah was rather silly when he had his tailor visit with Bessie’s dress maker. She had to admit, though, that she would have never known the pocket existed, had he not shown her exactly how it would hide the gun which has been his most recent gift to his wife.

It was easier than she expected to pull it out, even with her hands tied. After she had seen Alexandra struggle to get her gun out on the train, she assumed it would be near to impossible for her to accomplish the same thing.

She started to just lay it on her lap, but then noticed how Alex stilled when she saw what Bessie held. The women’s eyes met. Bessie managed to put a fold of her skirt over the gun. They both then returned their attention to Kendrick and the men beyond.

“Heyes,” Tuhy yelled. “Where are you?” He could feel the rifle aimed between his shoulders. He desperately hoped someone would end up alive after this fiasco, besides Kendrick.

“I’m here,” Heyes stepped out from behind a rock. “You’re not Kendrick.”

Tuhy laughed dryly, perhaps for the first time in years. “Nah, he ain’t stupid enough to be out here.” He boldly met the former outlaw’s gaze.

Heyes’ dark eyes locked with his, and bored into his soul. “The women, they still alive?”

Tuhy nodded briefly. “For now.” He sighed. “Don’t think that’s Kendrick’s plan in the end.” He knew he was frustrating Kendrick, but he kept between Heyes and the rifle pointing out of the window.

“I didn’t think so,” Heyes replied. “Why did you get involved with him?”

Tuhy shook his head once. “Someone convinced me you still needed to pay for the robberies you committed, you and the Kid.”

“And Alexandra?” Heyes’ voice was soft, but the tone sent a shiver up Tuhy’s spine. It reminded him that he stood face to face with one of the most feared outlaws in the West, amnesty or not, killer or not.

A pain crossed Tuhy’s face. “Also was convinced she needed to pay for her crimes.”

“What crimes?” Heyes’ face gave nothing away, but Tuhy continued.

“Heyes, she didn’t even deny it.”

“You have proof?” The former outlaw asked.

Tuhy shook his head.

“And you call yourself a lawman.” Heyes scoffed.

Their debate was cut short when a gunshot was heard in the cabin. Both Heyes and Tuhy ran towards the sound.


	6. Chapter 6

“Why the hell are they yakking out there,” Kendrick fumed, and reseated his rifle again against his shoulder. “And why is he in-between me and Heyes.”

Bessie and Red exchanged a knowing look, Bessie raised the gun. She took aim, as well as she could with her tied hands and as well as she remembered from the instructions Jedediah had drilled into her head. She pulled the trigger and a bullet went exactly where she planned, into Kendrick’s right shoulder. He spun with the impact, dropping the rifle. 

Bessie turned towards Red and started to smile until she heard her moan in frustration and saw her eyes track back towards Kendrick. His glare met Bessie’s as he pulled his handgun from his belt with his left hand. Bessie suddenly found them both toppling over on the ground. As they fell, she felt a bullet whiz through the spot where she had been.

Red gave one last futile pull on her bonds and finally her arms came free. She pulled Bessie further out of the way, as another bullet sheered off the fabric on her sleeve. She yanked the bandana out of her mouth and yelled at Bessie, who somehow miraculously kept hold of her gun.

“Shoot him, Bessie! Again!”

As Kendrick smiled and turned to take aim again, Bessie reacted through pure instinct to the command in Red’s voice and pulled the trigger on her own gun.

Time slowed. Jedediah told her this often happened to him, whenever he was called out. She never thought it would happen to her.

She aimed for his elbow this time, and hit it square. Kendrick recoiled again, and Bessie couldn’t help but cringe. Suddenly she felt Alex pull the gun out of her hands. She saw her turn to aim and suddenly Kendrick exploded forward, a bullet propelling him into the floorboards besides Bessie and Red. His gun skittered past them, and Heyes wasted no time picking it up, and securing it into his belt. Tuhy held his still smoking gun aimed on Kendrick, as he approached the unmoving man. Both Heyes and Red also had their guns trained on the bounty hunter as Tuhy kicked him with his boot. He then rolled him over to finally see the glassy stare of the dead, as the Kid burst through the door. He stopped short at the scene of chaos. He looked up to see Kyle and Wheat at the back door, guns at the ready, but pausing, as everyone was, to try and make sense of what happened.

Curry’s brain quickly shorted out all the guns and where they were pointed. He also saw Bessie’s face start to glaze over, and he hurried to kneel before her, as she lay unmoving on the ground, still tied to her chair. He glanced back at Heyes, who stood over Kendrick’s body, as Tuhy made certain the bounty hunter was dead. He pulled Red’s gun from Kendrick’s belt and handed it up to Heyes.

“Wheat, Kyle, can you take him to one of the out buildings, and lay him out there, while we sort things out here?” Heyes stuck the extra gun into his back belt, and took off his hat to wipe his brow. Reseating his hat, he looked over at the Devil’s Hole boys until they started to move.

Jed started to untie Bessie. He had intended to move on to Red, but as soon as his wife was free of her bonds she crawled into his arms and started sobbing. He looked up.

“Heyes.”

Hannibal Heyes nodded, but watched Kendrick be carried out before he turned and knelt before his wife. With her hands free, she had already made good progress on her bonds. Her feet were free, but he undid the tight knot that kept her attached to the chair. 

“You look terrible, Red,” he said softly as he helped her sit up and then leaned her gently against the wall, as he sat beside her.

She gave him a look that said so much, but then closed her eyes. “Surprisingly, my love, Kendrick did not give us time to tidy up before you arrived.”

A shadow fell over them, and Red opened her eyes to stare up first into the eyes of one lawman, and then another behind him. She tensed, until Heyes took her hand. She looked again at her husband and she visibly calmed herself.

“So what now?” she asked.

It was Lom who answered. “Maybe it’s time now for Heyes to take you to freshen up and rest a bit.” He looked over towards the Kid, still sitting on the floor rocking Bessie. “We’ll get some supper ready and then we can all sit down and discuss where we go from here.”

Heyes gently eased Red from the floor and led her to the bedroom, quietly closing the door.

The Kid eventually took Bessie out on the porch, and continued to simply hold her, while Kyle mopped the blood off of the floor of the cabin. Lom and Tuhy threw together some beans and biscuits, while Wheat settled the horses for the night and kept first watch.

Eventually they all sat down around the table, Lom on one end and Heyes on the other, with all the others arranged somewhere between. There were some interesting looks between Tuhy and Wheat and Kyle, and between Lom and Heyes and Red. Nothing much was said until everyone had a chance to down some beans, a biscuit, and a cup of Heyes’ coffee.

“So who put the bounty on us?” It was Heyes of course who started.

Tuhy sighed and looked towards Lom.

“Boys,” Lom started. “You had to know not everyone in Wyoming is happy with your amnesty.”

“It’s been almost two years, Lom,” the Kid stated.

“A lot of them rich bankers and railroad men are still smarting from all the trouble you two caused them,” Tuhy continued.

Wheat noisily cleared his throat, and started to speak until Lom’s look reminded him that maybe it would be best to remain quiet.

“They aren’t real happy about a lot of things recently. You,” Tuhy smiled thinly at Curry and Heyes, meeting both Wheat’s and Kyle’s gaze, and then looking over intently at Red. “You all have pissed them off enough to put up that twenty grand again, for you two boys.” He nodded at Heyes and Curry. “And another twenty grand for,” he paused. “For Red Johnson.”

“I can understand why all that money would bring out someone like Kendrick,” Heyes said coolly. “But how did you get involved, Marshal?”

Lom started to speak, and Heyes’ harsh gaze met his eyes, but Tuhy held up his hand to silence them all.

“No, Lom,” Tuhy shook his head. “Mr. Heyes has a valid question.”

“We’ve heard that you insist on justice for criminals,” the Kid continued. “But we never heard that you bent the law, crossed the line, like Kendrick.”

Tuhy shook his head again. “As Mr. Kendrick himself reminded me, when you associate with the wrong sorts, it can warp your judgement.” He looked over towards Red, who was still looking pale and tired. Her brief nap only kept her from collapsing. “Some folks convinced me that money was more important than true justice.” He smiled wanly. “My Betsy would not have agreed.”

Elizabeth Warren Curry had been dozing on her husband’s shoulder, faintly following the conversation, but wanting so much to simply be resting.

“Your wife’s name was Elizabeth too?” Curry asked.

Tuhy nodded slowly, a deep sorrow covering his face. “I apologize, Mr. Curry, for putting your Elizabeth through all this.” He shook his head. “It wasn’t supposed to be this way.”

“It never is,” Heyes said softly. He reached out towards his wife and noticed a flicker of pain cross her face. She put her hand to her belly and Heyes thought he saw a tightening.

“Who were you supposed to take them to?” Lom asked, looking at Tuhy.

“Kendrick,” the marshal began. “Well, he was working with some other folks.”

“You had to know who they were,” Heyes insisted.

Tuhy finally nodded. “Yes, I did meet with them eventually.” He met Heyes’ gaze, then Curry’s. “Kendrick handled all those negotiations, since, well, you boys aren’t officially wanted anymore.” He straightened his back. “It wasn’t really proper for me to be involved, what with being a U.S. marshal and all. The Senator would have made certain I lost my job, if not more.”

“Yes, he would,” Bessie replied quietly, but confidently. Almost everyone thought she was asleep by this point.

Tuhy nodded in agreement. “I’ve met your father, Mrs. Curry. He’s a good man, just in a complicated position.”

“As many are,” Lom interjected.

“In the end though, I did meet up with the group financing Kendrick, as they ended up being the same group wanting to bring in the Johansens.” Tuhy looked over at Red. She looked tired, but was alert enough to follow the conversation.

“There was one more, ah, gentleman, still driving the search for the Johansens. Daniel Ralston.”

“The Ralston who ranches north of Cheyenne?” Lom asked.

Tuhy nodded.

Red’s face hardened, and her eyes closed for a moment. Then they flashed open. “I’m assuming he’s related to Jacob Ralston Wheeler.”

Heyes turned towards his wife, about to say something, but then stopped. He looked towards the Kid, who’s face was stone.

“I think so,” Tuhy nodded. “They say he was one of the major stockholders in the Southwestern Central Railroad, and lost everything, because of the bankruptcy.”

“Yes,” Red’s eyes closed again. “I imagine he has lost everything, because of the bankruptcy.”

“Was there ever a wanted poster out on the Johansens?” the Kid asked quietly.

Lom shook his head. “Didn’t know what descriptions to put on the posters. Every robbery seemed to have a different makeup of the gang.”

“There were rumors of a young blond or redhead, some of an older dark haired or balding man.”

“Then why did you come after me?” Red asked.

“Ralston said he acquired some information and knew who the Johansens were.” Tuhy paused, then met her eyes. “He said he had been told by a reliable source that one of them was Hannibal Heyes’ wife.”

“Who?” Heyes continued to press. “Was it Silas Peeler?”

Tuhy shook his head this time. “Nah, I talked to Peeler myself almost two years ago.” He laughed dryly. “He’d sell out his own mother to get out of the Arizona Territorial Prison.”

“I talked to him too, and Jack Hinthorne,” Lom interjected. “Hinthorne still insists that Peeler is confused. He said there was a young man with fair coloring and red hair.” Lom nodded towards Alexandra. “Similar to yours, ma’am.” He then continued. “But as Hinthorne pointed out, half of the Irish who’ve come to this country have the same coloring. And a lot of boys who’ve chosen the outlaw trail are slight, because of lack of good food.”

Tuhy nodded. “Yeah, that was the end of it, Ralston said, until Wheeler was approached by some mutual acquaintances. They found a witness who saw Red Johnson kiss Hannibal Heyes before she boarded a train in San Francisco.”

Red exchanged a searing glance with Heyes, who then looked towards the KId.

“Who was it?”

“Ralston said it was a safe cracker, who knew Hannibal Heyes on sight.” Tuhy shook his head as he continued. “He was in San Francisco to meet up with someone calling himself Robert Smith. He heard rumors that the Johansens were looking for a safe cracker, and figured that was who he met with, name or not.

“He said it was a slight blond man he met, not a redhead as he expected. They couldn’t come to terms, though, and parted amicably enough. He didn’t see the man again, nor planned to, until the morning he headed for the train station to meet up about another job.

“When he arrived there, expecting no one, as early as it was, he sees the blond, with a slight redhead. He was about to go over and see if he could still make a deal, as the Johansens had been said to be making away with an enormous amount of cash.” Tuhy paused. 

“And what does he see, but Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry talking with them. He was totally confused at that point, wondering why they had been looking for a safe cracker if they had Heyes, when he sees Heyes kiss what looked like the slight young red head who could only be Slim Johansen.

“Now, he never heard any rumors that Heyes was that sort of man, so he decided he’d just make himself scarce and take another train.”

“Angus McCord.” Heyes looked over toward Curry.

Tuhy nodded, and continued. “McCord said he thought nothing more of it, until he heard of your amnesties. And that you married a slight, red headed woman.”

“Who would McCord have known that would have introduced him to Ralston?” Heyes almost seemed to be thinking out loud, but then he looked at Curry and then Tuhy.

“I heard that Wheeler had been haunting some gambling halls, trying to get a stake again,” Lom offered. “Appears that his cousin, Ralston, had been financing him.”

The boys looked at each other, and said, “Harry.”

“Not the bumbling Bannerman detective?” Lom sounded skeptical.

“No, I think they’re talking about that gambler fellah,” Tuhy responded.

Heyes nodded. “Harrison Quincy Vanderfield.” He turned to Red. “Do you remember running into him on the trip west for the Kid and Bessie’s wedding?”

Red shook her head. “I remember very little from that trip.”

“It was when we stopped in Omaha, to let you rest at the Prague Hotel,” Heyes reminded her. “We saw him in the train station there.”

“That rather unpleasant man?” Red’s brow bent in concentration.

Heyes laughed shortly. “Just a professional gambler, who said he was headed back west.” He looked over to the Kid.

Tuhy picked up his tale again. “But even so, it wasn’t enough hard evidence to get an arrest warrant and come to Centennial to get you.” He smiled briefly at Red and she looked confused. “But I let myself be convinced that helping these gentlemen find satisfaction would be accomplishing true justice.” He shook his head once more. “My Betsy would have been disappointed in me.”

“So what do we do now?” the Kid asked, looking at the lawmen, and then at his partner.

Heyes glanced over to his wife, who could barely keep her eyes open. “Maybe we discuss this in the morning.”

Red struggled to open her eyes. “You want to go after them.” It was a statement.

Heyes hesitated, but then took his wife’s hand and simply said, “Yes.”

“Otherwise they’ll just try again.” The Kid said quietly.

Bessie roused herself fully then. “But not tonight.” She held up her hand as more than one of the men looked like they wanted to protest. She gave her handsome husband a kiss and hug and then stood up. “And as there is only one bed in this horrible place, Alexandra and I will be sharing it until dawn comes and we can get to somewhere more comfortable.”

She helped Red up, and as she was starting them towards the bedroom, she called back over her shoulder. “And I don’t care where all you men find to sleep, but it won’t be in here.” She shut the door. Loudly.


	7. Chapter 7

After she helped Alexandra out of her most confining clothing, and covered her with the quilt, she started on her own disrobing. She was trying to finger comb and braid her hair, when she said quietly. “Please don’t tell me that you are having contractions."

Red’s eyes stayed shut, but she sighed. “Alright. I won’t tell you.”

“Are they getting closer?” Bessie sat down on the other side of the bed, placing her hand on Alexandra’s shoulder.

Red shook her head. “Whenever I think they might, the interval lengthens again.”

“Do I need to get Hannibal?” Bessie asked.

“No, just let me rest. I’ve had these a time or two, when I was doing too much with the house plans. Doctor Harris told me to rest. If they go away, I’ll be fine. If not,” she met Bessie’s eyes. “If not, then little Jed or Bessie will be born tonight.”

Bessie looked like she wanted to squeal in happiness, but instead took a deep breath and lay down beside her sister-in-law, hoping they both would be able to rest.

The men did not settle to sleep as easily. Even though tensions eased, not much had been settled. A bottle of whiskey was found, and passed around a time or two until it was properly disposed of. Conversation flowed a bit more freely after a drink or two.

“But Kid, we have to,” Heyes insisted. “We have to flush them out, or we’ll never be safe here in Wyoming. Neither will the girls.”

“What will the law in Cheyenne think of all of this?” the Kid asked Tuhy and then looked at Lom. “Gotta figure some of them gotta be in the pockets of the same folks who reinstated the bounty on us.”

Tuhy nodded. “Some are. Some aren’t. I probably can tell you who is straight enough, and has enough political clout to make this work.”

“Enough to get all those bankers and railroad men arrested?” Curry asked.

Tuhy hesitated, but Heyes continued. “We don’t need to get them arrested.”

“We sure as heck do,” the Kid insisted. “They kidnapped the girls!”

“Technically I think they only kidnapped Bessie. I believe they’d say they arrested Red.”

“Heyes,” Lom cautioned. “I don’t know if we should continue with this discussion.”

“Lom,” Heyes interrupted. “Seeings as the only people in this building who have not been on the wrong side of the law, at some point in their lives, are Bessie and Tuhy here, I think we just need to concentrate on the criminals in Cheyenne, not here. That alright with you?” Heyes folded his arms across his chest and waited.

Lom sighed. “Sure, Heyes. I keep saying, though, life was easier when you two were still outlaws.”

“What’s Governor Osborne like?” Heyes asked, looking to Lom and Tuhy.

The lawmen shared a look. Lom started to say something, but then stopped. Tuhy sighed. “Well, he’s a bit, I guess you’d say unconventional.”

“Heyes,” Wheat broke in. “He was involved in Big Nose George’s lynching.”

“He was, Heyes,” the Kid confirmed.

“And he’s got that pair of, um. shoes. From Big Nose,” Kyle almost swallowed his chaw. “Supposed to be from his,” Kyle’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Skin.”

“Yeah, I heard that too.” Heyes looked at Tuhy. “I also heard that the election where he took office wasn’t quite above board.”

“The Republicans in the state like to spread a lot of rumors about the Democrats,” Lom offered.

“Are any of them true?” Heyes asked.

Lom shrugged his shoulders, but Tuhy looked thoughtful.

“The men who sent us after you, though, they mentioned that the governor wasn’t really happy with their plans. Made him look bad, like he couldn’t control the state.”

“So if there had been enough evidence about Red, Osborne probably would have sent you with orders to arrest her?”

Tuhy nodded. “I did meet with the governor’s secretary. He told me I needed to keep Kendrick in check. To arrest anyone if there ended up being proof. I got the impression the governor really didn’t want any proof.”

“You think he talked to Barber? About what happened the night of our amnesty?” Heyes asked the Kid who shrugged.

“Osborne and Barber aren’t much of friends, being political rivals,” Lom offered.

“So he went along with this to see if he could embarrass Barber, but didn’t want it to embarrass him?” Heyes asked, trying to make sense of it all.

“Likely,” Tuhy agreed.

“Ain’t they both doctors?” the Kid asked.

“Doesn’t seem to matter, Kid.” Heyes sat thinking. A smile came to his face.

“Remember the night we spent at the Cheyenne Club, Kid, after the amnesty?”

“With Barber, Lom, Bessie, and Red?”

“Could’ve had us all then, if they had only known.” Heyes’ smile was dark. “I think we need to pay them another visit.”

It was in the dark of the night, when Heyes was coming in from his hour patrolling the outskirts of the small valley, that he found the Kid waiting for him on the porch of the cabin.

Curry looked down into his partner’s eyes as he climbed the steps.

“You think the girls are up to this? Now?”

Heyes cleared his throat. “Gotta be, Kid. To catch the boys at the Cheyenne Club by surprise.” He didn’t meet his partner’s eyes, but looked off into the trees.

“Heyes.”

Brown eyes met blue. “If you don’t think Bessie is up to it, I understand.”

“Heyes, Red ain’t up to it.”

Heyes straightened himself. “She’s gotta be.”

“She’ll lose that baby.” The Kid paused and continued quietly. “And maybe you’ll lose her.”

“She’ll tell me if she’s not up to it.” Heyes’ voice was one the Kid had heard before, when he had an idea in his head and did not want to be contradicted.

“No, she won’t and you know it.” The Kid’s voice was sharp.

Heyes said nothing, but looked down for a moment. He then finally met his partner’s eyes again. “So what’s the alternative plan, Kid? They’ll keep sending bounty hunters after her. Maybe even after us.” He laughed dryly and paused. “Might shock a few of them into letting this go, if we bring her in, now.”

“You mean as pregnant as an African elephant and twice as mean as a mama grizzly?”

“Well, at least it was you saying it, Jedediah, not Hannibal.” Red’s voice came to them from the doorway.

“Ah, Red, I’m sorry,” the Kid started.

She came up to him, wrapped in a tattered old quilt, and he hugged her tightly.

“How come I never get to do that when I say something stupid?” Heyes asked.

“Probably because you do it too often, Heyes,” the Kid replied with a smile in his voice. He released Red and she turned to be enfolded in her husband’s arms. She rested her head in the crook of his neck and he kissed her forehead.

“How much did you hear?” he asked.

“Enough.”

“Well, I best go do my patrolling,” the Kid met Heyes’ eyes. “And you need to get Red back in out of the cold.” He placed his hand on her shoulder as Heyes turned her towards the cabin door.

“Don’t you let him talk you into anything you don’t think you can handle. I’m getting anxious to meet my nephew or niece, so you two need to make certain I do.” The Kid held Red’s eyes until she nodded briefly.

Curry shook his head, and muttered to himself as he walked down the stairs and out into the yard. “I know you two are good for each other, because you both get crazy ideas at times, but this time, make certain you both think on it a while.” He paused. “Bessie sleeping alright?”

Red met his eyes again. She nodded. “She was tired, but nothing more.” 

The Kid nodded his thanks and started off towards the trees.

“You too cold to sit out here for a bit?” Heyes paused. “It would give us some privacy.”

Red laughed roughly, as Heyes settled onto the porch, with her in his arms. “I don’t think I’m up for anything that needs privacy, Hannibal.”

There was a smile in Heyes’ reply. “Don’t I know it, Red.” He squirmed a bit and they resettled. “But we need to talk.”

She simply nodded.

“You been having those contractions again?”

She did not answer at first. “I was. They’ve settled again.”

He sighed, deeply.

“But you’re right that we need to confront them now, to get this settled.”

Heyes shook his head. “I can’t chance losing you.” He slid his hand over her distended stomach. “Or this one.”

“And what happens when they send the next bounty hunter after us and the child gets in the way?”

Heyes did not have an answer.


	8. Chapter 8

Bessie relished the softness of the bed at the hotel in Rock River. She had taken to it after the refreshing bath the day before, when they arrived back in the town. She only left it briefly for dinner that evening. Red had not. Hannibal insisted she stay resting. Bessie offered to help him bring up dinner to Alexandra, but he declined. She wanted to see how her sister-in-law was doing, but he just smiled and reiterated that he did not need help.

Jedediah left early this morning, in search of breakfast, and had yet to return. She assumed they were planning out the details of their trip to Cheyenne. Bessie sighed, remembering their conversation the night before.

“There’s no reason for you to go with us, Bessie,” the Kid insisted, his voice sharp. “You ain’t wanted, so you should stay out of this.”

“You are no longer wanted either, my dear husband,” Bessie touched his shoulder and waited until he met her eyes.

The Kid just laughed harshly. “Tell that to all the rich, uh, men in Cheyenne, let alone all the bounty hunters.”

“I can contact Papa.”

Curry vehemently shook his head. “No. He’ll just tell you this was another reason not to marry me.”

“I doubt very much he would want to endanger the life of his first grandchild.”

The Kid was still for a moment, as only he could be. “That’s the most important reason why you need to just go home.”

“And how would I be safe there, without Kid Curry to protect me?” Bessie smiled.

“I’ll send Wheat and Kyle with you.” He met her eyes and laughed slightly. “I know. They may not seem like the sharpest tacks in the drawer, but just think on this. Heyes and I stayed alive throughout all the years we were leading Devil’s Hole, and we weren’t always able to watch each other’s back. They never let us down.”

“I still will not feel safe, without you there.”

The Kid paused. “It really won’t be safe for Wheat and Kyle to come to Cheyenne with us, no matter what. They are still wanted.”

“Send them home to Devil’s Hole.”

The Kid started to argue again. “No, I am coming with you,” Bessie insisted. “You’ll need someone to watch out for Alexandra. Hannibal will be too busy to pay enough attention.” She paused. “I’ve been at my niece’s birth, if it comes to that. I doubt if either of you boys, or either of the lawmen have.”

“We will be in Cheyenne. They do have doctors.”

“And I’ll be able to tell you when and if Alexandra needs one.”

“And you?”

“I’ll be hiding behind Kid Curry’s excellently aimed six gun.” Bessie looked said Kid Curry in his brilliant blue eyes, meeting them with similarly determined blue eyes. “I’ll be safer than if I was in Washington with my parents, let alone home at Centennial.”

“Bessie, as much as I’ll do my best to protect you, as always, Heyes might need me.” The Kid looked down and away from his wife.

“And you’ll have to give your attention to him?” Bessie tried to recapture his gaze, but failed.

“Yes.” He finally looked up at her, with a torn expression. “What if you need me then?”

“I promised I won’t get in your way, or distract you.” She smiled. “And I’ll have your present, my gun, handily in place too.”

Curry shook his head vehemently. “No, it’s not that, it’s...”

“My love.” She deliberately took his right hand, his gun hand, and caressed it. He placed his other hand on top of hers as she continued. “I do not know if Alexandra will be able to make it through all this without my help.” She looked up at him, full knowledge in her eyes of the responsibility and bond he felt. “Hannibal cannot be distracted if this is to go well. Neither can you.” She paused. “You need to let me do this, for all of us, to get beyond this threat and go on with our lives.”

“Bessie, what did I ever do to deserve you?”

“The same thing I did to deserve you. Nothing. Yet here we are, my love.” She smiled and blushed. “Now kiss me and make me forget for a while that we will be going into this, possibly sacrificing one if not all of our six lives, before we can be done with it. And tell me that you love me.”

His blue eyes sparkled into hers as he lowered his head. She smiled, the azure depths of her eyes welcoming him.

“Always.”


End file.
